Millie Bobby Brown surprised fans with a seemingly warm reunion with David Harbour at the "Stranger Things" season five premiere on Thursday in Los Angeles.

The appearance comes just days after it was revealed that Brown, 21, filed "pages and pages" of bullying and harassment claims against Harbour, 50, ahead of filming the show's fifth and final season in 2024.

Brown seemed to be in high spirits when she met Harbour as they took pictures outside the TCL Chinese Theatre. A video posted by Netflix's official X account showed the two getting a hug of surprise while they were signing autographs for ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌fans.

Body language expert Judi James told Daily Mail that both actors demonstrated a "playful style of cheery friendliness" during the premiere.

She noted that Brown initiated the interaction in one clip, using a mimed joke while holding her pen near Harbour's face, which prompted him to lean back and laugh. "Millie wriggles her body at her own joke, and the pair combine eye contact, sharing what looks like some overkill chuckling," James said.

During a hug, James observed that Brown's closed eyes and smile suggested she was genuinely happy in the moment.

She added that their red carpet body language lacked signs of tension, such as torso gapping or stiff smiles.

"Their torso proximity seems close and his hand around Millie's waist looks like a polite 'gentleman's hand' gesture with the fingers held away rather than holding or squeezing," James explained.

Brown also performed what James described as "upgrade" gestures, such as leaning toward Harbour when responding to his quips and squeezing her eyes shut in laughter, signaling appreciation and engagement.

Photos from the premiere frequently show Brown bursting into laughter, which James described as "overkill" responses to Harbour's remarks.

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos and CCO Bela Bajaria joined the stars on the carpet, underscoring the studio's support despite the reported internal investigation.

Last week, The Mail on Sunday revealed that Harbour faced scrutiny following Brown's complaints, although the investigation's outcome remains unknown.

The allegations did not include sexual impropriety. A source told the outlet, "Millie Bobby Brown filed a harassment and bullying claim before they started shooting the last season. There were pages and pages of accusations. The investigation went on for months."

Representatives for Netflix, Brown, Harbour, and the show's creators, the Duffer Brothers, did not respond to requests for comment.

The source emphasized that Netflix generally does not comment on internal investigations but noted, "'Stranger Things' helped put Netflix on the map. Millions of fans around the world have been anticipating the finale. No one wants anything to take attention away from that."

Personal Dynamics and Support Systems

Amid recent reports, Harbour's estranged wife, Lily Allen, reportedly stood by him during the allegations.

"Lily supported him throughout it all. It was a brutal time," the source added.

Following the complaint, Brown was accompanied by a personal representative on set during the final season, which will release its first four episodes on Netflix on November 26.

The streamer plans to drop the remaining three episodes on Christmas Day, with the finale released simultaneously in theaters and online.

A resurfaced interview with MTV, filmed prior to Brown's wedding to Bongiovi, shows her appearing uneasy discussing Harbour's role in the ceremony.

When asked, "[David] Harbour's officiating?" she responded, "Yes. Yes..." According to Perez Hilton, she added, "I don't know how I feel. Sure."

In the interview, she suggested Matthew Modine, who portrayed a complex father figure to Eleven and became close to Brown's family in real life, could have been an alternative.

Tags
Millie Bobby Brown, David Harbour, Stranger Things